Topping Out

A look inside Edelrid

For over 150 years Edelrid has been one of the frontrunners in the Alpine world. They developed the first dynamic rope capable of taking multiple falls in 1964 as well as the first climbing harness in 1965. Just a few years later, in 1973, Edelrid introduced the first stitched quickdraw to the market.

Sustainability is an important variable when it comes to the production of goods.

Edelrid was the first rope manufacturer to produce all its ropes under Bluesign standards. Bluesign systems is an independent, international organization which hold the textile industry to the highest environmental standards under their five principles – resource productivity, emissions protection, safety at work, and consumer protection – throughout the manufacturing process (www.bluesign.com). According to Edelrid, after four years of working together with Bluesign on their rope production, they were able to reduce CO2 by 62%, save more than 89% of water used, consume 63% less energy, and use 63% less chemicals when dyeing sheath yarns. In fact, the Boa Eco rope is made out of left over yarns from previous productions. This means every Boa Eco has its own unique look (come check them out in person at the Chalet). Edelrid is also a member of the European Outdoor Conservation Associaion (EOCA), which was created to help repair and protect the environment. This means Edelrid is part of an initiative which has repaired of 200km worth of trails, protected 28,000 hectars (~70,000 acres) of wilderness, planted over 70,000 trees and removed nearly 75 tons of trash from the wild (www.eoca.de)

When it comes to belaying a climber, the Mega Jul is not your average ATC device. Sure, it will allow you to belay and rappel, but it does so much more. I personally love the fact I can lower my partner in either a lever mode or a thumb mode.

To me, it feels similar to the lever on a GriGri when lowering a climber – that may just be the lock mode (Disclaimer: the Mega Jul is not an auto-locking device – I’m

simply referring to the motion and effort it takes to stop a fall and lower your partner). Made from stainless steel, this belay device is lightweight (65 g) and less bulky than other ATC devices. I would challenge anyone to find a device that moves as smoothly as this device (especially in the locked mode). This video below from Edelrid will give you a great visual of the Mega Jul in action.

Now, if you are in the market for that all-around does everything harnesses you camp throw in your pack for any climbing adventure, whether you’re chalking up in the local gym or chipping away on some ice in the canyon, then the Jay/Jayne harness is your next harness.

The 3D mesh padding allows for amazing comfort at a lighter weight at 416 grams (that’s just over 14 ounces for my non-metric friends). It has easy glide buckles on the hip belt and leg loops to provide proper fit and adjustability for a range of sizes. The moveable waist padding makes the harness more comfortable by allowing the tie-in point to be centered. When it comes to comfort (if there really is such a thing in a climbing harness) you want find a better bang for your buck. Of course, it wouldn’t be the “all-around” selection if it didn’t have 4 symmetric fixed gear loops and 2 ice screw clip attachment options to go along with the chalk bag loop. This video gives you an up close look at this harness.